Toyota, Honda, Nissan Recalled 3.4 million Vehicles For Takata Airbag Flaw
Japanese automakers including Toyota, Honda and Nissan are recalling 3.4 million cars sold internationally due to airbags supplied by Takata Corp are at risk of catching fire or injuring passengers. All of the vehicles in question were manufactured in or after 2000.
BMW Show Off New X4
BMW is unveiling in Shanghai auto show a new prototype BMW Concept X4 which is a compact SUV. It will have the distinctive kidney grille flanked by a pairs of LED headlights.
The BMW X4 will be built in Spartanburg, the production hub for BMW sport utilities. It churns out the BMW X5, BMW X6 and BMW X3 models.
Ferrari Unveils Hybrid LaFerrari
Ferrari’s next-generation supercar is the hybrid LaFerrari which was revealed at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. And this car will set you back $1 Million. The LaFerrari features a 949 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, with 789 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque coming from a 6.3-liter V-12 engine with a righteous 9,250 RPM redline and a 13.5:1 compression ratio.
LaFerrari’s batteries recharges via regenerative braking when slowing down, and by using the engine’s excess torque when it’s not needed — during cornering just like a Prius.
GM Raced Out 2014 Corvette Stingray
General Motors engineers and designers have pulled the covers off 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The car is designed to be like a racing car, big engines, good looks but not a petrol guzzler.
The 2014 Corvette Stingray feature a new 6.2-liter, direct-injected V-8 engine with estimated 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. GM is estimating a 0-60 time under four seconds and over 1G of cornering grip. It is not a petrol guzzler because the car make use of cylinder deactivation technology the auto maker claim better fuel economy.
Toyota Revealed Self Driving Lexus
Toyota will be showcasing and demonstrating self driving vehicles at the Consumer Electronics Show this month. It will be the 2013 Lexus LX equipped with “Intelligent Transport Systems” technology. The device includes a radar for monitoring the road environment as well as a communications system for communicating to other vehicles.
Other manufactures, including Audi, are announcing self driving cars. The car will include features like find a parking space and parking itself without a driver behind the wheel.
Toyota Adds Wireless Phone Charging In 2013 Avalons
Toyota announced that it will offer wireless charging for mobile phones in its full-size 2013 Avalon sedan. It will be the first car in the world to get an in-console Qi wireless charging for Qi–enabled mobile phones. The 2013 Avalon car model comes with a wireless charging pad integrated into the ebin lid in the center console.
Check out the video.
Toyota Recalled 2009 Prius Worldwide
Toyota is hit again with another recall of Prius. This time it is the 2009 model and the recall came from faulty specifications. This is for potentially defective steering and water pump system.
Toyota has said it will recall 2.7 million cars worldwide because of these problems.
Mercedes-Benz To Debut SLS AMG Black Series
Mercedes-Benz is going to show off a faster SLS AMG Black Series sports car. This SLS Black Series features no supercharging or turbocharging, instead relying on natural aspiration for its 8,000rpm maximum and 635 Mb of torque at 5500rpm. The new sports exhaust system has been crafted from titanium.
The car comes with new dual-clutch transmission and auto double-declutching during downshifts, along with a temporary manual mode for the occasional system override. The brakes are made out of ceramic composite which is 16kg lighter than the previous car.
It will cost you $300K for this car.
Toyota Issues Global Recall For Camry, Corolla And RA4 SUV Due To Power Window Glitch
Toyota has announced a global vehicle recall for Camry, Corolla And RA4 SUV due to power window glitch which has the potential for fire hazard. The company is recalling 7.43 million vehicles globally. The process to repair the glitch is involves putting heat-resistant lubricant on the switches, or exchanging them. And this procedure will take around 40 minutes.
California Approved Driverless Car On Public Roads
The state of California has taken the first step to the future with Governor Jerry Brown legalised self-driving cars onto public roads. California is the the third US state to approved self-driving car technology, which Google and many automakers are developing.
Governor Brown rode to the signing ceremony at Google Inc headquarters in a driverless Prius modified by Google.
Previously Nevada issued a first license for Google’s self-driving Prius provided there are two people inside the car at all times. The Google modified Prius uses video cameras mounted on the roof, radar sensors and a laser range finder to look out for traffic.
What are your thoughts on Google self-driving cars? Comment away!
