http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/blogs Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:47:09 -0500 Blogs and News -- Stay in touch with what's happening in the world of cars with TheCarConnection.com's blogs, by editor Marty Padgett. Lifestyle/Fashion http://static.thecarconnection.com/website/tcc-feed.jpg http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/blogs http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038133_adwatch-mercedes-benz-e-class-estate-ad-goes-off-track http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038133_adwatch-mercedes-benz-e-class-estate-ad-goes-off-track Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:10:00 -0500 There are lots of things you could say about Mercedes-Benz's new ad for the E-Class Estate. The first thoughts to cross our minds were, "Wow, that's a nice slot-car track" and "Wow, that voiceover is a great example of German efficiency -- but not in the good way". Sadly, the one thing none of us thought was, "Oh, this is a car commercial". ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038132_chrysler-retools-its-ev-program-possibly-for-the-better http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038132_chrysler-retools-its-ev-program-possibly-for-the-better Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:01:00 -0500 Last week, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne unveiled the company's five-year recovery plan. This week, we've received details about Chrysler's electric vehicle program, which has been given a fairly extreme makeover and a new direction. Most notably, Chrysler's EV development initiative -- known as ENVI -- has been "absorbed into the normal ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038134_holiday-preparations-know-the-rules-of-shotgun http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038134_holiday-preparations-know-the-rules-of-shotgun Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:25:00 -0500 It feels like summer just ended, but another round of mini-vacations lies just around the corner. Holiday road trips aren't usually as fun as the summertime variety, since they typically involve moms, dads, and eggnog-scented aunts, but a few precautions will make them slightly more enjoyable. We suggest flipping through The Official Shotgun ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038130_chrysler-borrowing-fiat-tech-infiniti-turns-20-todays-car-news http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038130_chrysler-borrowing-fiat-tech-infiniti-turns-20-todays-car-news Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0500 Chrysler will be borrowing Fiat's powertrain technology to help make its future vehicles more fuel-efficient, including Mutliair valve technology and dual-clutch transmissions. [Detroit Free Press] On November 8, 1989 Infiniti first opened up for business. Since its inception, Infiniti's goal has been to establish a new concept of ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038135_new-ways-to-watch-your-teen-driver-courtesy-of-greenroad http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038135_new-ways-to-watch-your-teen-driver-courtesy-of-greenroad Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:48:00 -0500 Back in the 18th century, British philosopher Jeremy Bentham came up with a nifty way to keep prisoners in line: as long as the incarcerated thought they were being watched, they behaved, even if they couldn't see the guards. The same "big brother" philosophy has been used ad nauseam since then, even in automobiles. Its newest iteration comes ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038131_shockingly-high-number-of-u-s-bridges-substandard-still http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038131_shockingly-high-number-of-u-s-bridges-substandard-still Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:20:00 -0500 One of the great things about our job is that we get to read all about cars. And, often, some of the peripheral topics too. Like bridges. In fact, we get to read things like Better Roads magazine, which serves "governments and construction contractors involved in...highway, road and bridge construction, winter maintenance, roadside and ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038126_preview-2010-volvo-s60 http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038126_preview-2010-volvo-s60 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:38:00 -0500 • What is it? A stylish four-door with a Swedish twist • The basics: Coupe-like styling and efficient powertrains • On sale: In the second half of next year, with a public showing and more details at the Geneva Motor Show • Price: $32,000-plus (est.) Volvo is busy preparing its entry to the mid-size sedan market in the ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038099_first-drive-of-the-activehybrid-x6-a-plug-in-hybrid-caddy-todays-car-news http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038099_first-drive-of-the-activehybrid-x6-a-plug-in-hybrid-caddy-todays-car-news Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:20:00 -0500 BMW has managed to keep its “ultimate driving machine” ethos even when it comes to building hybrid vehicles, with its all-new 2010 ActiveHybrid X6 slotting in as the world's most powerful hybrid vehicle thanks to its 478 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque. [Green Car Reports] Revealed at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, the ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038093_cash-for-clunkers-reveals-weakness-among-detroit-brands http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038093_cash-for-clunkers-reveals-weakness-among-detroit-brands Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:38:00 -0500 It's obvious from the comments on this site and others in the High Gear Media family that Cash-for-Clunkers remains a hot-button issue, and new data about the program is likely to fuel the fire: according to stats from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, most car buyers used Cash-for-Clunkers to swap out their domestic ride ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038084_chryslers-new-marketing-plan-aims-for-refinement-machismo http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038084_chryslers-new-marketing-plan-aims-for-refinement-machismo Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:27:00 -0500 Since emerging from bankruptcy nearly five months ago, Chrysler's been fairly quiet on the marketing front -- which may explain why the automaker's sales are so deep in the tank. (October 09 rang in 28% below October 08.) But a new $1.4 billion ad campaign aims to revive and refresh Chrysler's marques over the coming calendar year: Dodge will ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038086_volkswagen-trumps-toyota-to-become-worlds-largest-automaker http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038086_volkswagen-trumps-toyota-to-become-worlds-largest-automaker Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:02:00 -0500 Based on simple production stats, Volkswagen is now the world's largest automaker. Over the first nine months of 2009, VW produced 4.4 million units, while Toyota cranked out 4 million even. (Ford came in third at 3.7 million.) We're not sure how long VW will remain at the top of the heap, since much of its production and sales have been ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038079_carlos-ghosn-auto-sales-have-bottomed-nowhere-to-go-but-up http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038079_carlos-ghosn-auto-sales-have-bottomed-nowhere-to-go-but-up Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:41:00 -0500 Speaking at a World Economic Forum in New Delhi, Carlos Ghosn -- head of Nissan Motor Company and Renault SA -- had some interesting things to say about the global auto industry. Among the most notable and encouraging items, Ghosn believes that the international sales slump has ended and that the industry is beginning to rebound. He had ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037982_how-to-make-hands-free-calls-safer-at-speed-move-voices-around http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037982_how-to-make-hands-free-calls-safer-at-speed-move-voices-around Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:17:00 -0500 The dangers of distracted driving are top of mind these days, what with recent studies on the risks, a Department of Transportation summit meeting, and even automakers speaking out against it. A Congressional bill would cut highway funding to states that do not ban using handheld devices behind the wheel, as 17 already have. Ford now tout ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038075_ford-ceo-rules-out-ka-and-ranger-for-u-s http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038075_ford-ceo-rules-out-ka-and-ranger-for-u-s Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:59:00 -0500 For many years Ford's sales performance in the United States has been linked closely with its top-selling pickup truck and SUV lines, but with demand for such vehicles continuing to slide the Blue Oval has acknowledged that its future lineup will have to feature much more small cars. Unfortunately, this future lineup won't include ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037816_driven-2010-bmw-activehybrid-x6 http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037816_driven-2010-bmw-activehybrid-x6 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:05:00 -0500 BMW's X6 "Sports Activity Coupe" is a car of contradictions. Our review of the 2009 BMW X6 range called it "an oddity: a sport-utility vehicle designed to have a coupe-like shape." For 2010, BMW has added a new model that may polarize people even further. It's the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6, the first production hybrid from the maker of ultimate ..]]>