The Car Connection - Blogs and News

Mitsubishi Debuts Sync Rival, Called Fuse, In 2010 Outlander

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:04:00 -0500

It's about time that another automaker took on Ford's Sync hands-free communication and entertainment interface. One of the best rival systems--at least in affordable vehicles--comes from an unlikely source: Mitsubishi. The new 2010 Outlander is the first vehicle to get the handy interface. In a way, it figures. Mitsubishi used to have a geeky ..

Black Friday? Feh! HighGearMedia's 2009 Holiday Gift Guide

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:15:00 -0500

Time, as they say, has flown. It seems like just yesterday we were nursing New Year's hangovers and saying things like "GM declare bankruptcy? Never!", and today, we find ourselves in late November, weary and bleary and kind of amazed that so much has happened so fast. We're moving deep into holiday territory now, which for blogs like this ..

Electric Phantom, Burning Belkins, Abarth Watch: Today At High Gear Media

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0500

The news takes a bit less serious tint on Friday, with everything from smashed up Audi R8s and BMW 6-Series to a rather cheeky video spot for the MINI Cooper Convertible. There are still some sober moments, however, including the recall of Belkin's TuneBase in-car MP3 adapter for a potential fire hazard. On more purely car-related territory, ..

Geely Intends To Keep Volvo Production In Europe (Maybe)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:26:00 -0500

We've been keeping a close eye on the evolving Ford/Volvo/Geely saga. So far, the biggest point of contention in the brou-ha-ha has been Ford's concerns about intellectual property, which Geely might or might not respect after the ink dries. (China hasn't exactly been at the forefront of IP law.) However, there have also been unspoken worries ..

Recall Alert: Belkin TuneBase May Catch Fire

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:46:00 -0500

There are lots of ways to enjoy music from portable devices in your car. Many new vehicles come with built-in iPhone/iPod docks, but there are a range of other options, including Belkin's popular TuneBase device. The TuneBase plugs into your car's cigarette lighter, keeping gadgets charged as you listen to music and take hands-free calls. ..

Audi A8 Reveal In Miami, Rumored Ferrari 599 GTO: Today's Car News

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:28:00 -0500

The all-new 2011 Audi A8 isn't set to go on sale until late next year but the car is set for a public reveal at the end of this month. Audi has confirmed the car will make an appearance on November 30 at the Design Miami art and design exhibition. [Edmunds] In the same vein as the F430 Scuderia and the 360 Challenge Stradale, Ferrari is ..

New Mitsubishi Nav System Includes Free Traffic Service

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:16:00 -0500

Punch your destination into the navigation system in a new vehicle--especially a luxury-brand model--and you're likely to get more than just driving directions. Many of today's systems alert you of upcoming traffic congestion and even adjust your route on the fly to help avoid it. But there's a catch. Most of the real-time traffic features ..

AdWatch: MINI Cooper Convertible Spot Touts Protection

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:59:00 -0500

Let's face it: MINIs have a lot of curb appeal, but the company's advertising campaigns frequently come up short. A new spot for the MINI Cooper Convertible proves that point beautifully. Compared to yesterday's ad featuring the Alfa Romeo MiTo, this clip feels clunky and under-rehearsed -- although the potentially clichéd punchline somehow ..

BMW: Automotive Partner Of 2012 Olympic/Paralympic Games

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:03:00 -0500

BMW has been given a fairly impressive international branding opportunity: the company was just announced as the automotive partner of London 2012, which includes the upcoming Olympic games and Paralympic games. As part of the arrangement, BMW will provide roughly 4,000 vehicles to move athletes, officials, and others around the city during ..

Mercedes At L.A., Autonomous Audi, Rolls Royce MINI: Today At High Gear Media

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0500

Today there's a bit of a luxury theme to the news, with Audi, Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Tesla, and Smart all catching headlines. At TheCarConnection, the luxury angle is centered around the upcoming L.A. Auto Show and video game production, while Motor Authority sees reports of a limited-edition Ferrari 599 GTO and a MINI by Rolls Royce ..

New York State Backs Down, New License Plates May Be Free

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:33:00 -0500

Last week we wrote about New York State's plan to issue new license plates, ostensibly to replace old ones whose reflective material may have worn off. The new and clearly retro design was meant to evoke the bright yellow plates used from 1973 to 1986. But in reality, the sole purpose of the $25 new-plate fee (plus an additional $20 for owners ..

Videogame Designers Love The Tesla Roadster's Quiet Ride

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:24:00 -0500

Tesla and its Roadster are a product of DIY ingenuity -- a perfect example of what can happen when a bunch of people come together and say, "Hey, no one else is doing this, so why don't we?" In that same the DIY spirit, game designers at Microsoft have cleverly recruited a Tesla roadster for their own purposes: recording road noise for driving ..

Chrysler Changing Corporate Culture To Boost Quality

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:46:00 -0500

No matter how you feel about Senator McCain's statements from earlier this week, there's no denying that Chrysler has a lot of potholes dodge as it motors down the road to recovery. Among the biggest tasks at the top of the Chrysler's to-do list is cranking out vehicles of consistent quality. Doug Betts, the company's senior vice president in ..

Driven: 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0500

In the three years since the second-generation Mitsubishi Outlander first went on sale, Mitsubishi has gone through a sort of identity crisis here in the U.S. market. While the Japanese automaker's compact Lancer models--especially the high-performance Evolution and Ralliart--have been generally well received, Mitsubishi's larger vehicles, ..

Mercedes-Benz Planning Four Debuts For L.A. Auto Show

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:49:00 -0500

The 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show is just a couple of weeks away and in its lead up we have new details about what Mercedes-Benz is planning for the event. The luxury automaker will have no less than four debuts, including the all-new SLS AMG. The 563 horsepower supercar is just about to go on sale in Europe and we should have local pricing and ..