<![CDATA[Jalopnik: 2005]]> http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: 2005]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/2005 http://jalopnik.com/tag/2005 <![CDATA[Ferrari FXX Evolution with only 7 miles for sale on Ebay]]> Although there is no shortage of expensive and exotic cars on Ebay, there is always something a little funny about ultra rare and exclusive vehicles being offered alongside 14 year old Honda Civics. When it comes to exotic cars, few are more exclusive than the Ferrari FXX seen here, especially considering the fact this one has only traveled a mere 7 miles. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5843539&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Nissan Recalling 243,000 Xterras, Pathfinders and Frontiers]]> Nissan will be recalling 242,720 2005-2009 Xterras, Pathfinders and Frontiers due to a faulty airbag sensor. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5125245&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Nice Pipe Or Crack Pipe: Barack Obama's Hemi-Powered 300C For $100,000?]]> Yesterday's low-mile Mazda RX-4 got our highest Nice Price Or Crack Pipe approval rating yet, with a landslide 78% of voters going with Nice Price. Today we're going to ask a question we haven't asked here since the Tin Man's Fleetwood: how much extra does fame add to a car's value? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5105057&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[STaSIS Signature Series Audi S5 Challenge Edition: First Drive]]> The last time I blew past the limits of my driving ability in a big howling V8 and hooned into a turn way too fast, I was at Altamont Speedway and I spun out in a most dramatic fashion. Now I'm in a car worth 110 times as much, leadfooting it down the hill at Infineon, right at the Chute, and I'm totally into that mighty V8 scream, and… oh shit! Brake! BRAAAAKE! And damn if the brakes on this thing don't get the job done. This experience pretty much sums up what the STaSIS S5 Challenge is all about; if you're a great driver, you'll find the limits are very high. If, like me, you wield more enthusiasm than finesse behind the wheel, the brake and suspension upgrades can avert total disaster. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5101764&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Jackie Chan Shows Us The Joy Of Minivan Hoonage: Volkswagen Caddy]]> The sequence is pretty straightforward: A China-market VW Caddy Panel Van rolls off its carrier and- driverless- drives away going against the flow of traffc, sowing chaos and death in its wake. Jackie Chan leaps from another VW onto a truck, commandeers a motorcycle, and... well, you just need to watch the ad. Our only disappointment is the lack of the traditional Chan outtakes at the end. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=398783&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[ Volvo recalling certain 2005 XC90 SUV's...]]> Volvo recalling certain 2005 XC90 SUV's for "fire risk." No word yet on if it's the same "fire risk" causing FoMoCo trucks to shoot flames out the exhaust. Oh wait, no, it's got something to do with the vehicle's jack. [SeattlePI.com] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=283298&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Toyota Gets A Rear End NHTSA Probe]]> The feds have opened an investigation into whether liftgates on the rear-end of 2004-2005 Toyota Sienna minivans are accidentally closing on their owners. As of August 2nd, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NAMBLA NHTSA) received eight complaints and four reports of injuries involving the liftgate going from agape to clenched unexpectedly on a person's... More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=192566&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Chicago Premiere: 2007 Lincoln Navigator]]> Holy Toledo! Look at that grillework! Lincoln's 2007 Navigator SUV, which premiered in Chicago today, having received an infusion of more facial metal than a malocclusional eight-year-old in a night brace (who's chewing on wire hangers). Like its Ford Expedition cousin, the Navigator will also come in an extended version that offers 25 extra cubed feet of space. Surprise of the day: It won't be called the MKN. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=153580&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Top Gear's Awards for 2005: Bugatti Veyron Is "Best Car"]]> Our pal Punkey zapped us the results of TopGear's awards for 2005, including runners-up. As most watchers figured, the Bugatti Veyron won for Best Car, beating the Jalopnik pick — the Ferrari F430 — and the BMW M5, which we won't get to drive until January (knock on wood). The Ferrari also lost to the Aston Martin V8 Vantage in the Best Noise category. Man, we really have to get across the pond more often. Click through for more results. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=145961&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Chicago Tribune Looks Back at Year in Cars]]> Not nearly as exhausted or long-winded at Sweet Peet D.'s year-end extravaganza, the Chicago Tribune's Jim Mateja nevertheless highlights some of the year's more random stories, including this chestnut: More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=145947&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Honda CEO Gives Year-end Speech for 2005, Outlines '06 Plans]]> Honda CEO Takeo Fukui gave his State of the Carmaker year-end speech earlier this week, in which he noted a rise in sales over 2004 (1.45 million units, up 4%) and confirmed new product entries in North America in 2006. By mid-year, he said, we'll see the new, entry-level Honda Fit arrive on these shores, which he says will strengthen the company's US line and "environmental performance," while "cultivating new customer segments." We'll also see the rumored Acura RD-X, a new small SUV to rival the BMW X3. No word on the new, V10-powered NSX, other than that the company is tooling up to mass-produce its next-gen powerplants and increase production of hybrid-drive systems. Rats. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=144722&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Choosing Jalopnik's Car of the Year: It's Your Turn, Part Deux]]> With the Dodge Charger R/T coming out of the gate strong enough to challenge the Ferrari F430 for Jalopnik's Car of the Year (2005) award, we wanted to extend the voting period another day to see if an upset is brewing, or if it's just a temporary setback for the leading contender. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=142476&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Jalopnik to Join in the Car of the Year Festivities]]> Here on planet Jalopnik, gravity doesn t suck quite as much as it does elsewhere. When we decided to choose a Car of the Year, we knew our award could never share the pseudo-objective gravitas of our distinguished colleagues attaboys. (Or, as Farago put it, fuck that shit.) So, after a particularly perspicacious puddle of consciousness conference call, we established a format which reflects our unifying passion for all things automotive, while maintaining our complete disdain for journalistic pretension. Here s the deal More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=139918&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Bleak October Challenges Cadillac's '05 Sales Gains]]> Woe to T.S. Eliot for our wrangling of his verse for our own purposes, but for Cadillac, October may be the cruelest month; poor sales mixing memory and desire, stirring. (Yikes. Sorry, T.S. Next time we'll keep our trousers rolled.) Double-digit declines for October are now casting the GM brand's sales gains for 2005 in doubt. Up nearly 8% through September, a 19.1% decline in October smashed its pumpkin. Caddy, the one bright spot in GM's US lineup, could still hit 5% growth for the year, but it relies on solid year-end sales for it to happen. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=139114&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Simulation Speedster: 5 Axis's Scion xA for SEMA]]> The boys at uber mod shop 5Axis have extended their Scion madness by one — creating this xA speedster, the final model in their around-the-horn customization of the company's model line. The see-through xA — which will debut at the SEMA show (starting tomorrow) — also extends the shop's bachelor-pad AV theme by one. Where 5Axis's 2003 SEMA entry, an xB, was a moble DJ booth and its 2004 entry was a widebody tC fitted with a 43" plasma screen and home theater, the speedster doubles as a racing videogame simulator. Somewhere, a living room is weeping. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=134096&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Toyota's FSC Concept]]> In all the news of crossover SUV concepts coming out of the Tokyo motor show, it appears we neglected Toyota's "Flexible Saloon," the most crossoverest of crossovers. Toyota says the FSC, as it's referred, employs the company's "Vibrant Clarity" design philosophy, indicated by the contrast of soft lines and hard surfaces delineated by clear boundaries. On the inside, ambient lighting and plush appointments emphasize luxury, while a novel system that automatically adjusts the interior layout for shuttling people or carrying cargo highlights its utilitarian split personality. You just know Toyota's plotting an assault on the luxury crossover market in the coming years — consider this a warning, Mercedes R-Class. [More pics after the jump.] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=133219&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[GM to Show Club Racer Concept at SEMA Show]]> A baby Viper from GM? Next week's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas will host a number of GM's small cars, tricked out to within an inch of their lives. Along with the HHRs, Cobalts and G6s, the one we're most looking forward to is this Solstice coupe concept, which augurs a model we can expect to see on dealers' lots in a year or so, according to Bob Lutz. GM had showed off a car labeled the "2007 Solstice GT" during a panel discussion at the SAE World Congress earlier this year, though its fate has been closely guarded. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=133213&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mitsuoka Motors Shows Droptop Orochi Concept in Tokyo]]> At the 2001 Tokyo motor show, the weird geniuses at Japan's Mitsuoka Motors showed off the radical Orochi concept, based on the Acura (Honda) NSX, appearing to be the result of a botched George Barris experiment involving a late-model Mercedes-Benz SL, a Lamborghini Murci lago and five or more hits of brown acid. This year, the company unveiled a spider version of the Orochi, literally "nude top," in Tokyo this week. We're not sure if it still rides on the underpinnings of the discontinued NSX, but it sure is, er, something. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=132292&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lexus Introduces LF-Sh Flagship Concept in Tokyo]]> Lexus took the wraps off the concept sedan that likely introduces the design direction of its next-generation flagship LS. His sleekness uses V8 power augmented by a gas-electric hybrid-drive system and AWD. Word is, this arrangement will be become the new LS standard. No word on whether BMW will sue for infringement of its 7-Series trademark rear-end. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=132208&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mercedes Launches F-Class Hygenius Concept in Tokyo]]> Mercedes launched its F 600 Hygenius concept in Tokyo yesterday, uglying up the landscape just a smidge, but showing off how far it has come in fuel-cell car design. According to the company, including DCX boss Dieter Zetsche and his young ward Berndt (pictured), it's the first research vehicle for which the bodywork and design concept was built around the fuel cell, not the other way round. Drivetrain technology, high-voltage battery and bomb hydrogen tank are all housed under the passenger cell (natch), while the newly developed high-torque electric motor is integrated into the rear-axle housing. Genius? No, HYge... (sorry). More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=132185&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Jalopnik Reviews: 2005 Nissan Maxima SL, Part 3]]> Why you should buy this car: You're a multiple-personality type seeking a luxury fix, but would rather not have to pop a dramamine every time you buckle up. Or you'd rather be in a sports car, but have kids (or more than one friend) or suffer from that fear of being flattened by a wayward SUV. If you're a retiree who wouldn't be caught dead in an "old guy's car" you probably won't do much better for the money. Of course, you could just head for Barrett-Jackson and pick up a '69 Firebird. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=131898&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Jalopnik Reviews: 2005 Nissan Maxima SL, Part 2]]> Exterior Design: **** More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=131526&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lexus to Introduce Flagship Sedan Concept in Tokyo]]> Lexus sent out a teaser shot of the new Flagship Sedan Concept Car at this year's Tokyo motor show. By "shot" we mean a sketch of the car's new headlight assembly, which just so happens to look as elegant as a thoroughbred on a Scott County horse farm. Whether the rest of the car, the details of which will be announced on October 19, will live up to the headlamp design remains to be seen. (Yikes. Have we no dignity left?) More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130843&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Toyota bB Concept for Tokyo Motor Show]]> Auto Motor und Sport has some advance details on the anticipated Toyota bB concept due for unveiling at the Tokyo motor show. The double-b stands for "black box" (a figure of speech considering the eye-popping paint). It's based on the front-drive Toyota Yaris minicar platform, with a 1.5-liter vierzylinder (four cylinder, natch) and a wheelbase of just 8.3 feet. Club kids will dig the boogie-nights lighting scheme and sound system with numerous speakers. Americans will wonder why it's not a Scion. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130681&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Daihatsu UFE Concept for Tokyo]]> Don't mind all those show-offs at the Tokyo motor show, little Daihatsu, you've got Toyotabux under your pillow. The 'hat is showing its third-generation ultra fuel economy (UFE) vehicle, a hybrid-drive minicar powered by a 660cc inline (well, duh) three-cylinder direct-injection Atkinson (look out Mr. Wankel!) engine, supported by two electric motors. Don't laugh, in-house test data shows it gets something like 170 miles per gallon. Ok, you can laugh a little. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130649&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Toyota's Fine-X Concept for Tokyo]]> Toyota's latest concept — the conservation-minded Fine-X — to be unveiled at the Tokyo motor show, showcases the benefit of fuel-cell power and the use of plant-based building materials in reducing its environmental impact, the company says. Using independent drive motors at the wheel, the FIne-X can maneuver the tightest of spaces (parallel parking? puh-lease) — one practical benefit of fuel-cell power. What's more, the concept achieves a carbon-neutral status through the plant-based materials used in its construction, which absorb carbon dioxide as they grow (er, they grow?). Even if the components are burned when the vehicle is junked, no additional CO2 is emitted. Hmm, we were wondering what Toyota was doing with those plants it was developing. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130439&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[A Mini Picnic: Mini's Tokyo Concept]]> The Mini Concept Tokyo, Mini's showcase car for the Tokyo motor show, combines Japanese affinity for British stuff with a tailgate party for the sumo set. Likely an augmentation of the extended-wheelbase Frankfurt Concept, the Tokyo prototype comes with Union Jack turn indicators, a matching picnic blanket, a roof-mounted portable table and chairs and a cargo box that attaches to the body — likely for serving Chirashi sushi and playing Sudoku between matches. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130408&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Audi to Show Shooting Brake Concept in Tokyo]]> We stateside types are no more familiar with the English shooting brake than we are with clotted cream or buttered fish at breakfast. Historically, it's a vehicular crossup between a sports car and a station wagon (so sorry, estate) for country gentlemen whose fox hunting gear intruded upon their motoring activities. Now, Audi is reviving the shooting-brake concept in its new Shooting Brake Concept, which in addition to offering a fresh spin on the sport compact segment, also hints stylistically at the next-generation TT. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130252&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mercedes-Benz F-Class Concept for Tokyo]]> Mercedes is preparing to launch yet another another F-Class concept car at this year's Tokyo motor show. The F600 Hygenius, in the tall-roof MPV style, uses an improved fuel-cell system Mercedes officials say has more power, greater efficiency and a longer range than previous systems. The company is expecting the technology to be ready for road use by around 2012 (exactly a century before before the priests of the Temple of Syrinx will hold the gifts of life within their hallowed walls — look it up!). [Update: Official launch, photos and press release on German Car Fans and eMercedesBenz.] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130240&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mazda to Show New Senku Concept in Tokyo]]> Mazda's new Senku concept is the company's vision of a rotary-powered four-seat sports car for adult drivers. The official line, however, is basically a throwaway: "The concept clearly demonstrates how Mazda continues to offer new and unique Zoom-Zoom driving qualities in the face of increasing environmental and safety requirements and diversifying customer demands posed by societal changes." Yawn. When's the press conference? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=129197&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Honda's Concept-Car Lineup for Tokyo]]> Honda's concept showcase at this year's Tokyo motor show will include a few FINE! cars of the future. Nope, that's not some teenager's retort to the parental unit's no-belly-ring mandate, it's Honda's rather enthusiastic expression of the friendliness and excitement the company believes it's designed into the concepts it's showing. In addition to the FCX (pictured), a futuristic sedan powered by fuel cell that features advanced intelligent technologies, it's showing the Sports 4 Concept, a totally buildable sports sedan (the next Accord?) and the W.O.W., a "dog-friendly" utility van for the Japanese mobile lifestyle. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=129162&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[More on Chrysler Akino Concept for Tokyo Show]]> Chrysler released a full range of photos of its Akino, a touchy-feely concept the company will introduce at the Tokyo motor show. The Akino, named after Chrysler designer Akino Tsuchiya, has an interior space fitted with more natural fibers than a Peta rally — like the bamboo used for the flooring. (Oops, there's suede trimming inside. Cancel the rally.) Still, it's a social vehicle, with seats that swivel and throw pillows for lounging. Consider it a high-concept, rolling tea house. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=128925&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Frankfurt Premiere: Mazda Sassou Concept]]> Why would Mazda want to name a concept car after that snot-nosed bird in the Lion King? Clearly it's should be an Ivysaur, after the flower-growing Pokemon with which it shares a face. Anyway, the Mazda Sassou's USP is its USB stick, which replaces the key and tells the car's computer to play your favorite Carpenter's Karoake MP3 lickety-split. That and its LED headlights, that remain hidden until you throw the switch. Other than that, it's flame-surfaced zoom with a view. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=125441&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Sport Wagon Revealed, Released in Japan]]> Mitsubishi announced its Evo Sport Wagon had hit selected dealerships in Japan today, at the same time it revealed the high-performance boxback to the world in a set of press shots. According to the company, the $31,000 Lancer Evolution Wagon was derived by incorporating the side panels and roof panel from the Lancer Wagon into the current Evo sedan, while reinforcing the car's rear end to keep the whole thing stiff, lightweight and balanced. As in the sedan, the wagon gets its thrust from a 2.0-liter turbocharged, intercooled four over an electronically controlled 4WD driveline, and will be offered in six-speed manual (GT) and five-speed automatic (GT-A) versions. It's a true limited edition, with only 2,500 of the wagons set to be built between now and December of this year. Click through for more pics. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=124135&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mitsubishi Releases New Images of Sportback Concept]]> Mitsubishi revealed a few new angles — including the back — of its new Sportback concept, which many say will inform its upcoming Lancer Evo X. The Sportback will headline the company's booth at the Frankfurt motor show this September, where it will introduce an aggressive, new design language that company officials say will show up throughout the Mitsubishi line in the coming years. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=122233&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Alex Roys Bullrun 2005 Wrap-up, Day 7]]>
DAY 7: San Francisco - Hearst Castle - Los Angeles Finish Line, July 29th
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]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=122174&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Cadillac Uber Alles: GM Brand Overtakes Mercedes in Luxury-Car Sales]]> According to AdAge, GM's Cadillac vaulted past Mercedes in luxury-car sales in July, outshining the once mighty Mercedes-Benz brand. Still, notwithstanding Cadillac's ride on GM's employee-discount sales rocketship, it was Mercedes's best July in history — the company selling nearly 21,000 cars — meaning its competitors' offensive moves are paying dividends, while its own efforts are falling into the "not trying hard enough" column. Lots of reasons exist for Mercedes' momentum slide among its luxury peers, not the least of which are the quality problems that have alienated customers, both existing and prospective, and led to a percentage decline in loyalty. Nonetheless, AdAge also attributes the slide to Mercedes's decline in US ad spending, which is reportedly down by $10 million since 2004. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=122165&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Alex Roys Bullrun 2005 Wrap-up, Day 6]]>
DAY 6: Reno — Infineon Raceway — San Francisco
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]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=122106&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Ford F-150 Pickup July Sales Break Record]]> Anyone who's questioned why GM had decided to shelve several in-process vehicle plans in favor of speeding its upcoming full-sized pickups to market (yeah, that means us) need only check out Ford's sales figures for July. It seems the company's the F-Series trucks — led by the perennial sales workhorse, the F-150 pickup — sold 126,905 units, the most sales of any single nameplate in any month since the days of the Ford Model T, according to the company. Another number-crunch tidbit from Ford: "In July, F-Series sales alone generated enough revenue to place the nameplate within the annual Fortune 500 rankings." Now back to your regularly scheduled Big Three doomsday scenarios. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=122054&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Alex Roys Bullrun 2005 Wrap-up, Day 5]]>
DAY 5 - Salt Lake City - Bonneville Salt Flats - Reno July 27th
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]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=122048&view=rss&microfeed=true