Filed under: Motorsports , Lotus Few drivers have caused the kind of speculation that Kimi Raikkonen has in the past few years alone. Will he take a Ferrari payoff and make way for Fernando Alonso ? Will he find another ride in Formula One ? Will he make it in the World Rally Championship ?
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Official: Kimi Raikkonen marks official return to F1 with Lotus test run [w/video]
Filed under: Coupe , Nissan , Racing What would a Nissan GT-R be without the racing pedigree that’s helped make it what it is today? The truth is that we don’t even want to know. But we don’t have to, because the car known as Godzilla is as devastating on the race track as it is on the street. Very different racing versions have been made to challenge the FIA GT1 World Championship and for Japan’s own Super GT series, the latter powered by a naturally aspirated V8 to satisfy regulations instead of the twin-turbo V6 in the production model.
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Official: Nissan taking orders for new GT3-spec Nismo GT-R
Filed under: Hybrid , Sedan , Government/Legal , Safety , Chevrolet The National Higway Traffic Safety Administration has officially closed the book on its investigation into the Chevrolet Volt . The result finds that “no discernible defect trend exists” and “Based on the available data, NHTSA does not believe that Chevy Volts or other electric vehicles pose a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles.” NHTSA supports the modifications developed by General Motors to address “specific attributes” particular to electric vehicles in the event of a crash. GM is retrofitting the nearly 8,000 Volts sold with additional side reinforcements and a sensor to detect coolant leaks, which was found to be the cause of the short-circuiting battery and resulting fires . The agency also issued guidelines for first responders and auto shops coming who encounter Volts that have been involved in accidents
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Official: NHTSA concludes investigation into Chevrolet Volt fires, no defect found
Filed under: Sedan , Etc. , Government/Legal , Safety , Acura , Luxury Honda can thank Wal-Mart for the automaker’s recent victory in a class-action lawsuit over Acura RL models equipped with the company’s Collision Mitigation Braking System. The system was designed to warn drivers of a potential crash, tighten the vehicle’s seat belts and automatically apply the brakes. However, lawyers for approximately 2,000 plaintiffs sued the Japanese automaker, arguing that the system may warn the driver too slowly, and it may not work at all – the lawsuit also complained the system may shut off altogether in foul weather
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Report: Honda wins Acura RL collision warning system class action lawsuit appeal
Filed under: Convertible , Government/Legal , Recalls , Safety , Crossover , Mini Back in October, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating certain turbocharged Mini models for vehicle fires. The investigation came after reports of at least 12 vehicles lighting up, and now the investigation has officially lead to a recall. NHTSA has announced on its website that Mini will recall 88,911 turbocharged models built between November 2006 and January 2011 for a water pump problem that could result in a fire. The government agency says on its website that “the electronic auxiliary water pump that cools the turbocharger has an electronic circuit board that can malfunction and overheat.” If that happens, the board could smolder and result in a vehicle fire
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Official: Mini recalling certain Cooper S and JCW models over water pump
Filed under: Motorsports , Convertible , Performance , Videos , Lexus , Tokyo Auto Salon , Specialty If top-down motoring is your cup of tea, there are few droptops that could elicit as many smiles per sun-drenched hour than the long-rumored Lexus LFA Roadster . We first saw the V10-powered 552-horsepower machine at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show , but the automaker has kept its lips firmly sealed on the potential of a production version since that showing. Interestingly enough, though, it appears that Toyota’s luxury division may not be done trotting proproduction LFA Roadsters around the auto show circuit.
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Video: Lexus LFA Roadster makes appearance at Japanese drift event