<![CDATA[Jalopnik: Us]]> http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: Us]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/us http://jalopnik.com/tag/us <![CDATA[For $2,500, the boxer stands alone]]> The number 33 appears, unexplained, on the side of Rolling Rock beer bottles. It's also the name of both Alfa's gorgeous 33 Stradale and today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe 33 Sportwagon. The latter can better the Stradale in carrying home cases of Latrobe's finest, but should it also carry a lower price? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5844512&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Big Video Contest: Show Us Your Jalopnik, Win Fabulous Roush Prizes!]]> After snagging some hot swag from today's 2010 Roush Mustang reveal, we figure it's time for another contest. Below, how to win some Jack Roush-signed paraphernalia and what you need do to earn it. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5173986&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[2011 VW Polo Coming To America, Bringing +1]]> Volkswagen will redesign the 2011 VW Polo hatchback and sedan for the US market, making both beefier and more Husky-size-friendly than the new 2010 VW Polo available in Europe. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5170615&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[2009 Nissan Cube Revealed]]> UPDATE: The 2009 Nissan Cube's price will start at $13,990 and we've even had a chance to test drive the Cube. Read our impression here. The Nissan Cube is hoping to capture the boxy chic market the Scion xB pioneered when it goes on sale in the US market next year. We think the Cube has a lot going for it. When it does arrive the funky little 2009 Nissan Cube will sport the same 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine found in the Nissan Versa, good for 122 HP and 127 lb-ft of torque. These will come mated to either Nissan's CVT transmission or a six-speed manual, for those who like to stand out in a crowd and row their own gears. Further differentiating the unique econobox from the rest of the market will be the "water drop" interior accents in the headliner and controls that give the appearance of rippling water. As with the Fit and Scion, the Cube will come loaded with features such as a sliding "sofa style" bench, remote keyless entry, an iPod-ready sound system and standard ABS. Buyers will also be treated to a host of other dealer-added accessories that could help propel the odd wagon into the hearts and homes of budget-conscious-yet-trendy buyers. Full details in the press release below. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5093250&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Chicago Auto Show: International MaxxPro]]> International didn't just bring it's super shredder semi, the International LoneStar to the show. They also brought the US Military's latest wheeled transport, the International MaxxPro. The imposing vehicle is basically a purpose-built mobile bomb shelter, capable of taking a hit from any direction, as well as fording bodies of water as deep as 36 inches, just for the hell of it. When we opened the door—or more precisely, tried to open the door—we had to abandon all all our stuff and put our weight behind the effort. The thick armor plated doors were almost as heavy as the ones on an old Mark VIII. While the Humvee is impressive in its general-purpose skills, this thing is just a plain beast. We want a test drive of the take home version. Any vehicle with gun portals gets an "A" in our book. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=354281&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Polo For US Market? VW Is Mulling the Option]]> What would you say to the option of the tiny but tossable Volkswagen Polo making it's way to the shores of the United States? If you're like us, you'd be more excited in an R32 model, but still it's interesting. Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn admitted that the possibilty is out there with the dry but corporate comment of "We are deliberating whether to launch smaller models than the Golf in the US market." eGMCarTech.com More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=345204&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[ Stout Risius Ross survey pegs Japanese profit-per-vehicle...]]> Stout Risius Ross survey pegs Japanese profit-per-vehicle at $3800 higher than US automakers. That is if US automakers were to make a profit-per-vehicle wethinks. [Detroit News] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=287186&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Astras in America: Opel Club Meets GM's German Saturns, or Vice Versa]]> Our new buddy Will happened on an Opel party somewhere in the Golden State, where a group of classic Opel GT owners got to eyeball GM's Germanic B-car, the Astra — in hatch and retractable hardtop versions. As you know already, the Astra will be coming to the US as an entry-level Saturn sometime later this year. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=232211&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[US Getting Mitsubishi Lancer Before Japan]]> According to Edmunds Inside Line, Japanese buyers are more interested in their tiny little keicars than the much larger Mitsubishi Lancer, a car that wouldn't even crack midsize in the states. As such, the company will introduce the redesigned Lancer in the US before it's launched in Japan — which, among Japanese automakers, happens as frequently as the Year of the Parakeet. In fact, the 2008 Lancer will arrive in the US in mid-2007, six months before the Japanese model comes out late in the year. The move underscores the new Lancer's status as a hail-mary pass — into a charging herd of Buffalo. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=193025&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[The US House Loves the Lease Deals]]> It's that time of year again when the Detroit Free Press publishes the results of their annual Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request list of House members paying for leases using their office budgets. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=160108&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Zetsche Says: Smart Likely Headed to US]]> DaimlerChrysler CEO, Dieter "Funke" Zetsche told German business newspaper Handelsblatt that, more likely than not, the company will launch the Smart brand in the US. Despite that the DCX division is more upside-down than Ernest Borgnine in "The Poseidon Adventure," Zetsche told Switzerland's am Sonntag he's looking to make the company "as profitable as BMW." That likely means all is well in the design stages for the new Smart car to meet the next generation of US crash regulations without breaking loose of its already slim profit margins. Either that or Dr. Z has a 3-Series up his sleeve. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=157110&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Spy Photos: More on the 2007 Jeep Compass]]> With the Dodge Caliber on its way down the pike, it's fitting that American Car Fans would uncover some spy shots of its badge-engineering mate, the Jeep Compass. Taken during cold-weather testing in Northern Europe, the shots indicate a vehicle similar to the concept unveiled in Frankfurt last September — albeit dressed in its finest leather-daddy attire. Production of the four-banging front/all-wheel-drive crossover (Trail Rated, huh?) will reportedly begin in mid-2006 for the 2007 model year. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=146080&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Hurry Up and Wait: DaimlerChrysler Won't Decide on US Smart Before 2006]]> A zen koan for you: What is news about no news? A DCX official said the company won't decide whether or not to build a Smart car for the US market before sometime next year. In the meantime, a team of business strategists will finish reviewing Smart's sales and marketing network, and the company will likely develop a new ForTwo model that meets US emissions and crash-test worthiness standards. Just in case. [Thanks to Robin for the tip (or is that non-tip?).] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=144248&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Ford Fusion, Part 3]]> Why you should buy this car: For a commodious family four-door, the Fusion s priced right, undercutting its rivals by some margin. (Depreciation is another matter.) The Fusion s also a bit of a handler, both nimble and tenacious through the twisties. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=142049&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Ford Fusion, Part 2]]> Exterior Design: ** More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=141685&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Ford Fusion, Part 1]]> Ford s attempt to regain its place atop the sales charts is looking more and more like the scientific pursuit of cold fusion. Theoretically, The Blue Oval Boys should be able to screw together a nice car for a reasonable price and then sell it to the millions of US car buyers whose automotive aspirations never reach higher than nice and reasonable. But The Blue Oval seems to share chemist Stanley Pons inability to turn theory into reality. I reckon that's because Ford can t get control of the mission-critical variables. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=141452&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Jalopnik Poll: What's Next For Saturn?]]> With GM announcing that its plant closures will most definitely include Saturn's Spring Hill, Tennessee facility Saturnites are worried for the future of their brand. The Spring Hill plant is 7 million square feet and currently produces only the VUE compact SUV, which is due for a replacement in 2007. Does the end of Spring Hill — the revolutionary plant from which Saturn was born — mean the end of Saturn, or will a raft of rebadged models remake the brand? Take our latest poll after the jump. [Update: Just to clarify, Spring Hill line #1 is closing — that means no more plastic-coated Saturn ION. Following a renovation, the plant will go from a devoted Saturn facility to a general GM plant.] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=138620&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Spy Photos: 2007 Chevrolet Suburban]]> To awkwardly paraphrase the retail pizza industry, you've seen all the rest, now see the biggest. The Car Connection has a bunch of shots featuring the newest release among GM's GMT-900 full-sized trucks for 2007, the Chevrolet Suburban, clad in a typical leather bustier and chaps. It pretty much looks like you'd expect it to, having already seen its Tahoe sibling, so we won't mind if you don't even bother to click through. But go ahead, we know you can't resist. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=137010&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[GM Reveals 2007 Cadillac Escalade]]> Cadillac has at last revealed the royal card in its hand of redesigned GMT-900 SUVs — the Cadillac Escalade. Here in the high-margin upper reaches of the market is where GM hopes the new models' refinement will pay off. The Escalade is easily the most appealing of the new trucks, sporting a post-bling understatement that's striking, considering the last-generation Circus-Circus wagon had as much sophistication as the all-you-can-eat buffet at Trump Taj Mahal. The standard 6.2-liter aluminum V8 offers 403hp of fuck-you power and 417 ft.-lbs of fuck-me torque. It'll be available in early 2006. More pics and specs after the jump. [Update: More photos] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=136370&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Spy Photos: 2007 Ford Edge, Interior Action]]> We're hoping the upcoming Ford Edge crossover will come standard with that big red button on the dash, and hopefully it'll be labeled "DO NOT PRESS." Still, the Mazda6-based Fordie — due in late '06 — looks decently swank on the inside, at least in upmarket leather trim, and we're still waiting to rev out the new, 245hp, 3.5-liter V6 on the front/all-wheel driver. Of course, we'll have to handcuff our hands to the seat backs to keep from pressing that button. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=135512&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Don't Tease Me, Escalade]]> Far from laying it on us with a straight shot, these teaser images of Cadillac's new GMT-900 Escalade for 2007 could be just about any slab-sided SUV this side of a Land Rover Explorer H3 (but for the barely visible "DE" of the door badge). Still, the Escalade is definitely the most anticipated of GM's new trucks so we can forgive a bit of pre-market tweaking. But only a little. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=134166&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Ford Releases Shot of New Lincoln Aviator]]> Tucked neatly into a new press shot of the Lincoln Zephyr is a rear-view of Lincoln's new Aviator crossover, a 2007 model that will likely premiere at the upcoming Detroit auto show. Set to compete with the Acura MDX and Lexus RX, it's based on Ford's Mazda-derived CD3 global midsize-car platform, which it will share with the upcoming Ford Edge and Mazda CX-7 crossovers. Man, we are so over these crossovers and the party hasn't even started yet. Come on, 2007, get it over with already. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=133575&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Volkswagen Polo Coming to the US?]]> A quick-eyed, though sadly digicamless, tipster caught sight of a red, two-door VW Polo at Santa Monica VW on Santa Monica Blvd:
Sorry, no digital photo, but confirmed:
More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=133095&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Spy Photos: 2007 GMC Sierra]]> Strangely, unlike its Tahoe SUV brother, the new, GMT900-platform GMC Sierra pickup doesn't seem to have that familiar GMC Sloping Grille(TM), according to some new spy shots published on Edmunds Inside Line. A hybrid model will follow the late-2006 launch of the Sierra. GM's betting the farm on these new full-sized trucks, and the future of GMC is at stake, so we'd better pay some damn attention to them. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=132517&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mercury to Promote Milan with Random Acts of Surprise]]> What a difference a brand makes. Where Ford is pushing its Fusion sedan as a street machine, Mercury is casting its Milan in the title role from "Here's Boomer" (1980s TV reference alert). The company is spreading kindness in the name of Milan in several cities with random acts of delight, like a free coffee or a manicure en gratis. The acts will take place between now and mid-November, during which marketing assistants will descend on Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Austin and San Diego for two-day "invasions" (their quotes) that will include free beverages at morning drive, appetizers in the evening and salon services on Saturday. Oh, we get in now. Fusions are for boys and Milans are for girls. We totally did not see that coming. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=131754&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Spy Photos: 2007 Lincoln Aviator]]> Spies recently snapped some shots of Lincoln's upcoming Aviator crossover, a variant of the Mazda-based Ford Edge crossover. At this point, a keen eye is all that separates the Lincoln from the Edge, visually. In its upscale, Lincolnesque guise, the front-drive/AWD crossover will compete with the Acura MDX and the Lexus RX, with FoMoCo's new 3.5-liter V6 under the hood. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130328&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Spy Photos: 2007 Dodge Nitro, Close to Production]]> What's the point of spy shots when you already know what a car is going to look like, you ask? Different air vents! Of course! A slight change in air-vent design sets apart the production Nitro from the concept model, which has been making the rounds at the world's auto shows of late. Shame on you for missing that. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130207&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[A Lincoln Mark IX?: FoMoCo Ponders a New Luxury Coupe]]> Rumors of a new Lincoln coupe based on the Ford Mustang platform have bubbled over on AutoWeek. According to insiders, FoMoCo could have the coupe ready by 2009; that's two years after it launches the new sedans that are reportedly the linchpin of the division's survival. After that, the thinking is, the company will have time to rebadge a Mustang to replace the coupe-sized hole in its line, left when the Thunderbird-based Mark VIII was discontinued in 1998. Still, Ford officials haven't confirmed the plan exists. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130033&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Spy Photos: Opel Frontera (2008 Saturn Vue Replacement)]]> If it's Monday morning, it must be a spy photo from The Car Connection. Today, its a digitally enhanced image of the Opel Fontera, captured during high-biergarten testing somewhere in Europe. If you've been playing along at home, you're aware that a variant of the GM-Daewoo crossover will also replace Saturn's Vue in the US when it's launched in 2007 as a 2008 model. The Frontera will be introduced at next year's Geneva motor show, with the New Vue Review due for Detroit in '07. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=130009&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[The Faces of the World's Honda Civics]]> Autoblog.es brilliantly juxtaposed all of the global versions of Honda's new-generation Civic, the European, North American and Japan models. The point of the exersize being to highlight the subtle "facial" differences in each version, "tuned," as it were, to each market — as if the company had performed a psychological study on each region's populace. The European version is the most radical, stylistically, with the North American model the most conservative, and the Japanese design aiming for an aggressive but yet still recognizable look. At least that's what our grade-three Spanish skills revealed. Hopefully we didn't get the whole thing backward. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=129287&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Dan Neil Showers the New Mazda Miata With Verbiage]]> Dan, Dan. You've got the Pulitzer, now put down the Scrabble dictionary and step away from the word processor before some poor bastard loses an i. Frankly, Dan — and you know what devoted readers we are — it's just that when you get giddy, the sylababble alights from your lead paras like bees scrambled to intercept a Big Gulp. It's as if you'd become inhabited by a twee Flemish scribe who's spent most of the 13th century chained to a dungeon wall. Well, ok, that Kate Moss line is brilliant. Oh, what the hell, carry on. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=129278&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Cadillac Does Away With the Ice Scraper]]> The new Cadillac DTS will get a feature us Northern types devise in our heads each winter, as we scratch at ice-glazed windshields until our ungloved fingers look like tiny, veal sausages. The Cadillac flagship will get a new windshield-wash system that heats fluid to 176 degrees in 40 seconds, then shoots it across the windshield. Along with the wipers, the scorching liquid clears snow, ice (as well as bugs and other messes) from the windshield within a swipe or two. Just this once we'd almost considering buying outside our demographic (and out of our price range) just to get our mottled, freezer-burned hands on the system. Should grandma and grandpa get all the perks? What is this, China? [Update: Our buddy Justin says the Buick Lucerne will also get heated washer fluid in '06. Of course, the Buick folks had to be tricky (and somewhat naughty) and call the system Hotshot. Gawrsh.] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=128454&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Ford Ends the Excursion]]> Ford Expansion, Ford Exploitation, Ford Exposition, Ford Exclamation — it's heard all the jokes, and still doesn't give two Tahoes. But, after five years of disappointing sales, Ford is pulling a (really big) sheet over the giant corpse and calling its death. The last model will roll off Ford's Louisville assembly line later today. Though excoriated by detractors as the "Ford Valdez" and exposited by trailer-pulling fans as the toughest, most powerful SUV for the money, in the end, Ford just couldn't exculpate the Excursion from its excruciating performance in the marketplace. Ex post facto, however, Ford is reportedly building an extended Expedition to extol. Excellent. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=128384&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Ford to Build GT500 Convertible]]> Ragtop men will have a new version of Ford's upcoming Mustang Shelby Cobra GT500 with which to lay rubber athwart the country club parking lot. The company confirmed it was building a droptop version of the GT500, which will be as nastily tuned by Ford's SVT speed bureau as the coupe, with a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 producing 450hp. The top will be fashioned from cloth, not vinyl like the standard GT, and the company says the droptop only gains 125lbs over the coupe. Expect it in time for the endless summer of 2006. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=128112&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Kia May Build a Droptop Sportster for US Market]]> Kia may be looking to tart up its brand image in the US with a new roadster that could be reminiscent of its 2004 KCV III concept (pictured). Kia America CEO, Peter Butterfield is urging his Korean bosses to build such a car, according to Edmunds Inside Line, a sub-$20,000 two-seater that would evoke a more sporting image than the company's range of sensible shoes, er, cars does currently. The roadster, unlike the concept, would be stripped down to the bare essentials needed for open-road work, possibly forgoing such luxuries as a radio, carpets, windows or electric top. Yee haw! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=128098&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Chrysler Launches 300 "Great American" Package]]> Chrysler's We're Still Part American campaign continues, with the release of a limited-production option package for the 300 it's calling the "Great American Package" (not to be confused with a Ron Jeremy movie potentially of the same name). The package is built around the 2.7-liter V6 model, and the options list reads like a fradycat's cheat sheet, including four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, stability control with brake assist, front and side curtain air bags, and air filtration. With the base six, It also gets decent mileage, keeping buyers safe from refinery shortages. We'd be inclined to rename it the "Sum of all Fears" edition. Cough up the $1,400, cheapskate, your life may depend on it. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=127734&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[The Ghosts of Lincoln Town Car Future]]> Lincoln's venerable Town Car — hauler of golf bags, carrier of the airport-bound and endurer of the orthopedic shoes that trod its pedals — will survive the company's move to build a new flagship. But its survival won't come without a dignity blow; it'll be relegated to fleet sales, the pasture of the auto industry. Lincoln's new mast topper, known now as E386, is slated for 2009, giving the current Town Car time to get its affairs in order. At least it's fairing better than the LS, which will go to the gallows in 2008. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=127622&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Dodge: Stratus Out Avenger (Back) In]]> Dodge won't pin the Stratus badge on its next-generation midsize sedan. Instead, it will reportedly go with Avenger, a name that badged a Dodge sport coupe during the late 1990s. Dodge also chose the Avenger name for the 2003 concept vehicle (pictured), which introduced the world to the new, car-truck design direction that will launch with the 2007 Caliber. We're not sure what form the Avenger's revenge will take (and on whom? Toyota Camrys?), but if car-on-car tire slashings rise in the midsize segment, we'll have a suspect. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=127378&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[New Hemi-Powered Dodge Durango Will Get Standard Multidisplacement]]> Dodge announced its Hemi-powered 2006 Durango full-sized SUV will offer the company's Multidisplacement System (MDS) as standard equipment. The system shuts off four out of eight cylinders when they're unneeded, like when cruising at highway speed, lopping up to 20% off average fuel consumption. It's the first year the system will be offered on the Durango, having been rolled out on other Hemified vehicles, like the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Magnum in 2004. The company claims its use of MDS will save 60 million gallons of fuel annually by 2007. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=127227&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Spy Photos: Ford Edge Crossover]]> Despite Spanky's finger-pointing, Brenda Priddy's people caught some shots of Ford's new Edge crossover during road testing. The Edge is one of several FoMoCo crossovers to be based on the Mazda6's CD3 platform, including the Mazda CX-7, Lincoln Aviator and Mercury Meshugganah (ok, no word on a Mercury version yet). Just be careful; you may be one Ford engineer's next meal. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=126787&view=rss&microfeed=true