Dodge Challenger SRT8 available for $37,995

• The American muscle coupe is back, packed with modern technology and innovation
• Demand for contemporary version of iconic pony car drives Dodge to accept orders for the 2008 Challenger SRT8® beginning Dec. 3, 2007
• Introduction begins with limited-edition Dodge Challenger SRT8 models – each with numbered dash plaque
• Complete, broader Challenger lineup details and pricing still to come
• 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 models feature 6.1-liter HEMI® V-8 and are available in Black, Silver or HEMI Orange

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by Kurt Gensheimer

Blings:

• Attractive exterior
• Monastary silent Interior
• Car-like handling
• IIHS “Top Safety Pick”

Dings:

• Questionable value next to the Ford Edge
• Chintsy interior electronics and “satin nickel” are a Ford giveaway
• Heavy for a CUV

Ruling: Attractive, blinging luxury you’d never guess was made by Ford…until you get inside.

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November 27, 2007 — Tokyo –

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. (MMNA, based in Cypress California) will premiere MITSUBISHI Concept-RA to the world at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS or the Detroit Motor Show). MITSUBISHI Concept-RA fuses a passion for dynamic, exciting driving with a heightened sensitivity for the environment thanks to clean, efficient high performance diesel power. The 2008 NAIAS runs from January 13 to 27 at the Cobo Center in Detroit and opens to the general public on January 19.MITSUBISHI Concept-RA shows that thrilling performance and environmental responsibility need not be mutually exclusive concepts. This coupe concept features the S-AWC vehicle dynamics control system driveline and the Twin Clutch SST automated manual transmission used in Lancer Evolution^*1, and is powered by a new high-output, high-efficiency clean diesel engine.

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11/15/2007

Vehicles Bestowed Highest Rating of “Good” for Frontal Offset, Side Impact and Rear Crash Protection Performance

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - November 15, 2007… BMW of North America today announced that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the 2008 BMW X3 and X5 the top rating of “Good” in each of its series of crash tests, earning both vehicles the Institute’s coveted TOP SAFETY PICK Award.

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By Francis Cebedo

Last Thursday was a great day at CarReview.com when we took delivery of the Mazdaspeed3. We heard about the incredible power of this car. 263 bhp and 280 ft lbs of torque on this small, front wheel drive car was either a recipe for trouble or spirited driving nirvana.The car had 1900 miles on the odometer. It was a bright orange red and we had it for a week. Could it handle the power? Was it comfortable? Is it easy to live with? We were intrigued. Part of the reason we were excited about this car is we are hatchback fans. Hatchbacks are fun, roomy, affordable and practical. It fits the active lifestyle and it won’t break the bank doing it. With this package, looks like it would fit the driving enthusiast lifestyle as well.

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Volvo Cars new integrated 2 stage booster seat helps protect children who have outgrown their toddler seat. This integrated 2 stage booster cushion in combination with the extended Inflatable Curtain, and load limiting seat belts is a world first and recently received international acknowledgement as a unique engineering solution to give children of different size a safe and comfortable travel experience. Chosen from thousands of new products and innovations, and selected as 1 of 100 best new technologies for 2007, Volvo Car Corporation, LLC, received Popular Science’s annual Best of What’s New award for this child protection system. A similar design was first shown in 2001 aboard Volvo’s Safety Concept Car as a concept that would provide better seat belt positioning for children. Subsequent refinements to the seat, vehicle side body structure, seat belt attributes, and inflatable side curtain culminated with launching Volvo’s newest crossover estate, XC70 in Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland this past March.

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Monterey, Calif., Nov. 22, 2007 — Skip Barber Racing School, in conjunction with Monterey County Parks Department, Mazda North American Operations, and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, is offering a special safe-driving clinic for local new drivers aged 17 to 21 on Saturday, December 8.

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11/14/2007 - TORRANCE, Calif., -

Honda today announced that it has begun using the Home Energy Station IV at its Honda R&D Americas, Inc. facility in Torrance, California. This fourth-generation experimental unit is designed to provide fuel for a hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle, as well as heat and electricity for a home. The new system is more compact and efficient, with a lower operating cost than previous models. The announcement coincides with the world debut of the all-new FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

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– Highly Anticipated 480-Horsepower Nissan GT-R Makes North American Debut –

LOS ANGELES (November 14, 2007) – Carlos Ghosn, president and CEO, Nissan Motor Co., today unveiled two all-new 2009 Nissan production vehicles – the Nissan Murano crossover and the Nissan GT-R – at a press conference at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show. The second-generation Murano, which features new exterior and interior designs, along with enhanced performance, goes on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide beginning in January 2008. The Nissan GT-R, which will be available for the first time ever in the United States beginning in June 2008, makes its North American debut at the L.A. Auto Show, following its global introduction at the Tokyo Motor Show last October.

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11/16/2007

Munich. The coffee experience. The brown bean is a global, multi-faceted cultural asset - trendy, versatile, delicious. In the modern city, the coffee shop has established itself as meeting place for the discerning coffee connoisseur. Now the world’s leading retailer, roaster and promoter of coffee specialties is offering its customers the opportunity to experience unsurpassed coffee enjoyment at home. In collaboration with BMW Group DesignworksUSA and Saeco, the leading coffee machine manufacturer, Starbucks has developed a unique espresso machine for domestic use.

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2008 BMW X6 xDrive 5.0i

The BMW X6 concept, which was revealed at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, is the first offering in a new vehicle segment, the Sport Activity Coupe.

The design of the BMW X6 fuses the elegance of a sport coupe with the off road potential of a 4×4 platform.

Is it a SAV or a is it a sports sedan that likes to get down ‘n dirty? Continue reading the review of the BMW X6 and decide for yourself.

Recombinated

by John Matras

Modelers have a name for it: kit-bashing. It’s when parts from different model kits are combined to make something new. That’s exactly what BMW did to create the X6. Sorta.

BMW refers to the new 2008 BMW X6 as a Sport Activity Coupé (note the accent), much as it calls the X3 and X5, despite being sport utes, Sport Activity Vehicles. Compared to the body-on-frame construction typical of SUV’s when the X5 arrived, giving the X5 its own classification just seemed like the right thing to do. Besides, BMW simply couldn’t produce anything so prosaic as an SUV. What would the world be coming to?

What the world came to is the new BMW X6.

The BMW X6 is based on the X5’s SAV platform, shares the same suspension but with a slightly wider track. BMW describes the front suspension as a “double track control arm configuration applying the double joint principle for dynamic lateral acceleration, superior tracking stability and minimization of those forces acting on the steering wheel.” That’s hard to argue with.

Read more… (Click the link to read the full review of the BMW X6 on Examiner.com)

(updated October 7, 2008)

Buckle Up And Brace For Action, McQueen Fans: Mustang Bullitt™ Races To The Streets In 2008

• More horses: Featuring the latest in Ford Racing Technology, Bullitt’s 4.6-liter V-8 delivers 315 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque.
• Sport-tuned: Modified chassis and suspension improves an already competent and capable chassis to deliver the most balanced Mustang ever.
• Film-inspired: Dark Highland Green exterior paint calls back the original movie car, while a specially mastered DVD helped Ford engineers deliver an exhaust note that matches the film.
• Mustang magic: Bullitt is the latest in a line of special editions that keep Mustang news fresh. Plus, it delivers on the Mustang tradition of unique products that fit customers’ individual preferences: a steed for every need.
• Bottom line: Bullitt carries on the Mustang tradition of affordable performance with a $31,075 Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). A limited production run of 7,700 units is planned.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 6 – Four decades after hitting the big screen and redefining the on-screen car chase, the Ford Mustang Bullitt returns to the streets in 2008, blending the best Mustang ever with the latest Ford Racing technology.

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Chrysler LLC’s First Production Hybrid Vehicles

• Hybrid fuel efficiency combined with full-size SUV performance, capability and utility
• HEMI® Hybrid delivers more than 25 percent overall fuel economy improvement
• Full-size SUVs boast nearly 40 percent fuel economy improvement in the city
• HEMI Hybrid features Chrysler’s Multi-displacement System (MDS)

Auburn Hills, Mich., Nov 14, 2007 - With the introduction of the new 2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI® Hybrid and 2009 Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid, Chrysler LLC delivers two hybrid-electric vehicles that combine fuel-efficient advanced-hybrid technology with full-size sport-utility vehicle (SUV) performance and capability.

“The new 2009 Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid vehicles will offer our customers the sought-after blend of performance, utility, capability and vastly improved fuel economy — all in one package,” said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President – Product Development, Chrysler LLC. “Combined with Chrysler’s Multi-displacement System (MDS), our advanced, two-mode hybrid technology immediately delivers a more than 25 percent fuel economy improvement to our full-size SUVs — and up to a 40 percent improvement in the city.”

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Nov 14, 1:27 AM EST

Lincoln, long content to be your grandfather’s brand, is enjoying a revival thanks to new products and a new emphasis at Ford Motor Co. on rebuilding the 86-year-old nameplate.

Those efforts will be in focus Wednesday with the introduction of Lincoln’s new flagship sedan, the MKS, at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The auto show opens to the public Friday after two days of media previews.

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11/14/2007 - LOS ANGELES

Honda today unveiled the FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show, announcing plans to begin limited retail marketing of the vehicle in summer 2008.

The FCX Clarity is a next-generation, zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle based on the entirely-new Honda V Flow fuel cell platform, and powered by the highly compact, efficient and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack. Featuring tremendous improvements to driving range, power, weight and efficiency - and boasting a low-slung, dynamic and sophisticated appearance, previously unachievable in a fuel cell vehicle - the FCX Clarity marks the significant progress Honda continues to make in advancing the real-world performance and appeal of the hydrogen-powered fuel cell car.

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