Driver's News: Mar. 20, 2006

Scion Coupe Coming toNew York

Toyota, famous for its press-release brevity, says a new Scion sport-coupe concept is coming. The new concept will make its premiere at the New York Auto Show in April. Toyota plans the Scion press conference for Wednesday, April 12 - stay tuned for more from TheCarConnection on this and more New York launches, including the Audi TT and Benz E-Class, as the show nears.

Spy Shots: 2008 Scion xB by TCC Team (2/20/2006)
Bigger and boxier?

AFA Relaunches Ford Boycott

The American Family Association, unpleased by Ford's continued outreach to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual (GLBT) groups, says it will urge its members to boycott Ford Motor Company and its brands. The AFA, based in Tupelo, Miss., had trumpeted victory earlier this year when the Rev. Donald Wildmon, AFA leader and Methodist minister, said Ford had agreed to pull advertising from GLBT publications, ads mostly geared toward its Jaguar and Land Rover and Volvo brands. The AFA says Ford has gone back on a promise to stop advertising in GLBT venues and says that "Ford has every right to give hundreds of thousands of dollars to groups promoting homosexual marriage. But those who oppose homosexual marriage have every right not to buy automobiles made by Ford Motor Company." The group is urging members to send emails through its BoycottFord.com Web site as well. Previous efforts by the AFA to set corporate policy-such as a boycott of Disney over its support of events like the Gay Days gatherings held at its theme parks-have failed to make significant dents in companies' bottom lines.

Daily Edition: Dec. 15, 2005 by TCC Team (12/14/2005)
Nissan Urge concept, Ford reverses on gay ads, C-Class spied.

Ditlow's CAS Wants Cheaper Replacement Keys

The high cost of replacing vehicle keys has drawn the attention of the Center for Auto Safety, a consumer-defense group headed by Clarence Ditlow. The CAS charges that modern keys, often embedded with chips, transistors and multiple functions, have become too costly to replace, with new keys costing hundreds of dollars-or thousands, if electronics in the car must be replaced as well. In a petition to the Federal Trade Commission, Reuters reports, the CAS charged that the auto industry's resistance to releasing computer codes stored in keys to locksmiths is an unfair trade practice. Reuters adds that law enforcement officials say current key technology has been one of the biggest theft deterrents ever made for automobiles, and that manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce key costs while keeping security levels high.

GM Adds to Tailgate Recall

General Motors will recall another 900,000 vehicles for problems with tailgate cables. The latest recall, the AP reports, is distinct from the one that resulted in a recall of about four million 2000-04 GM trucks and SUVs because of the different material found in tailgate cables. In both instances, the cables can corrode and break, leading to injuries. The new recall involves the 1999-2000 models of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups. Some 84 injuries have been linked to the problem, but no accidents or deaths.

SUVs Do Well in NHTSA Crash Tests

The latest round of crash tests at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) put seven SUVs at the top of government ratings for safety. The NHTSA reported on Thursday that the seven utes - the 2006 Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Tucson, Mercedes Benz ML-Class, Nissan Murano, and Subaru B9 Tribeca - all received five-star rankings for front and side-impact crash tests. Also scoring five stars on both front and side-impact tests were the 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac four-door pickup and the four-door Toyota Tacoma pickup. The NHTSA tested 44 vehicles in its latest round of tests, the results of which can be searched at the agency's Web site, www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

Recall, Rollover, and Safety Info by TCC Team (3/13/2006)
Search the government's databases for safety info on your car.